Saunter with Words

Monday, January 4, 2010

I remember the day that Mahathir first become Prime Minister of Malaysia. I was still a student then. His image as a Malay rights advocate was well known. What more his books which entitled Malay Dilemma which seems to emphasize Malay position which was being threatened by non-Malay or so he claimed. His image as extremist was also enhanced by the deeds and words while he was still the youth leader in UMNO.

When he became prime minister, I was questioning my parents upon how would he govern Malaysia in a fair manner. I remember very clearly this was the answer my father gave to me. He said “Don’t worry son. All Malaysian politicians are behaving like that. He had to behave like that to gain his political base. Once he became Prime Minister, he had to be moderate else he cannot get the other component parties and other races to support him.”

I doubted his words there and then based on a simple logic - a leopard would not change its spots. However, when he was in power, he does project the image of being a moderate leader who listened to the needs of all races. The main stream media include non malay media also portrayed him as moderate and decisive. The newspapers claimed that he stop the track of extremist in a few instances.

Many years had now passed. Now we know clearly what his actual contribution to Malaysia was. From the exposure of BTN and his own confirmation and proclamation, we know that all the images that he had created many years ago are but a big lie. He had been practicing racially biased politics since day one and he used the BN machinery to shape the course of BTN to brainwash the people especially Malay for over decades.

One thing that puzzles me is that why nobody informs the people on the existence of such a course and its course outlines. BTN courses no doubt played a big part in shaping and influencing the BN administrative machineries in producing discriminatory and racially divisive policies that divide the people racially and religiously.

On this I tend not to blame the old man or UMNO. This is what they are. This is what they do. What I feel real angry with is not UMNO or the old man himself but MCA, Gerakan, MIC and all the other mainstream non-Malay media. It is unthinkable that thy do not know about the syllabus of BTN or what the old man had done for past decades. However, due to their own personal gains, they sold themselves out and choose to cover up for him collectively and help his propaganda of him being a moderate leader when out and out the old man is a complete racist and extremist. His fa?ade is now completely exposed with the adverse effects of his policies, his legacy had now been proven beyond reasonable doubt.

In short, MCA, Gerakan, MIC and all components parties of BN are guilty collectively of propagating the racially divisive policies. The BN administration is the answer as to why that Malaysia had now decline in competitiveness in international trade, attraction of FDI, deterioration in education standard; brain drain; rampant corruption but most importantly creating and maintaining racial and religious tension among the ordinary Malaysians. It is by no means that the rights of different races among the Malaysian are being compromised but most importantly the principle of rights and wrongs, justice, fairness and righteousness which form the basis of humanity and modern civilization has been compromised.

More than 50 years had passed. We can see with our own eyes on the actual achievement of BN despite how they try to paint it. At this moment, we cannot even compare economically with Singapore, Korea, Thailand, not even Vietnam who had only recently undergone tremendous transformation from a war ravaged country to an economic powerhouse. Dr Syed Husin of DAP put it very succinctly. Who can we compare to next? Maybe Zimbabwe.

Friday, December 18, 2009

This blog is created to express my thoughts on things that happens around the world. These things maybe just some articles I have read; films that touches me; books that warms my heart; music that enchanted me; fascinating places and interesting people. Hope that such expressed thoughts can help spread a little love around.